ALL-CENTRAL COAST SECTION
Player of the Year HOLLY AZEVEDO, PIONEER
By JOHN MURPHY Prep2Prep
Holly Azevedo is a cheerful person with an upbeat attitude that makes her hard not to like.
It’s a bonus if Azevedo is on your team, as she has been the past three years at Pioneer. A junior this past season, Azevedo went 25-3 in the circle with a 0.18 earned run average. She
struck out 334 and walked just 16 in 191 innings pitched. At the plate she hit .482 with 10 extra base hits and 20 runs batted in.
Only five earned run were scored against Azevedo all season.
So it should come as a surprise to few Azevedo is the Prep2Prep CCS Player of the Year. She led Pioneer to the BVAL-Mt. Hamilton record and an overall record of 25-3. The team’s only
losses were to Mt. Pleasant, Hillsdale and Archbishop Mitty, the last in the Central Coast Section Division II title game.
Mitty has defeated Pioneer three consecutive years in the championship game.
“They’re very mentally strong and they play us good,” Azevedo said. “Hopefully we can play them again (next season) and come out with a win. They’re just a very mentally tough team
and their coaches always seem to know what pitches to call and their baserunning is good. Their mental game is strong.”
Pioneer had a young team in 2016, but it gained valuable experience. Next year it will have Azevedo back for a fourth crack at the BVAL-Mt. Pleasant league and a shot at Mitty perhaps,
and she should be improved.
“I’m just trying to finesse my pitches and my spins and get everything on point,” Azevedo said. “Offensively, I’m just trying to get better, to improve.”
Toward that end Azevedo is playing for the Sorcerers travel team out of Fairfield, trekking to tournaments all around the country.
The UCLA commit has a 4.0 grade point average and plays the viola (slightly larger than a violin) and is interested in art. The athletic part comes naturally – her father played
football and baseball in high school and her mother tennis and badminton.
Co-Coach of the Year RANDY METHEANY, HILLSDALE
Randy Matheany has had a storied career at Hillsdale and is our choice for CCS Co-Coach of the Year.
By JOHN MURPHY Prep2Prep
Randy Metheany’s coaching style has changed over the years, but he is still successful. That is why he is the 2016 Prep2Prep CCS Co-Coach of the Year.
Metheany this season led Hillsdale to the Peninsula Athletic League-Bay title, beating out such other stalwarts as Half Moon Bay and Carlmont.
Metheany’s continued success is proof of his ability to adapt to the changing times and the improvements overall made by his girls and opponents.
“When I first started I decided we were going to run a lot, so we practiced our crossover step and challenged catchers. We ran on anyone and stole third base and if they
threw the ball away, we scored. We got good jumps. Now I don’t run as much because catchers are better and pitchers are too. I also bunted a lot more in the old days.”
The “old days” were 1983 through 1996 when Metheany led Hillsdale to three Central Coast Section titles. The Fighting Knights won two consecutive, in 1990 and ’91, with
Maureen Brady (sister of Tom Brady) in the circle. The 1991 team also included Nancy Brady at catcher and Julie Brady at shortstop, both also sisters of the New England
Patriots quarterback who played at Serra High.
“The mound was only 40 feet in those days so I don’t know how anyone used to hit Maureen,” Metheany said. “I got up against her and couldn’t hit her. She was an
incredible pitcher and person.”
Brady’s career victory total (she went 116-9) is a state record.
Metheany has been blessed by having outstanding pitchers over the years, including Maureen Brady, Karen Athanacio, Jordan Richwood and this year’s hurler, Eryn
McCoy, a first-team Prep2Prep All-CCS choice.
McCoy went 68-18 in her four years in the circle for Hillsdale.
Metheany also coached the boys basketball team at Hillsdale for seven years and said his approach was not any different than for the boys.
“The first question I asked (the girls) was how do you want to be coached, as a lady or as an athlete. They always said ‘as an athlete.’ So we worked our tails off on fundamentals
and learned them better than anyone and were ready to take on teams from the first pitch on.”
It’s been a good year for Metheany. He was also inducted into the San Mateo County Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame this month.
Metheany, 60, played basketball at Hillsdale alongside Rod Williams, one of the CCS’s all-time leading scorers who went on to play at USF.
Co-Coach of the Year ANDREW BARRAGAN, SAN BENITO
In his first year, Andrew Barragan led San Benito to the CCS Division I title.
By NATE SMITH Prep2Prep
Many people may question whether a new coach stepping into a program with as much history as San Benito softball can keep the legacy alive. For Andrew Barragan, that was no problem at all.
Barragan, an insurance agent in Hollister, served as the pitching coach for San Benito High’s baseball team for six seasons. He has also coached the Blackjacks, a local softball club team for
top area talent. A 1989 graduate of San Benito himself, Barragan was no stranger to the rich history of Baler softball, a program under famed coach Scott Smith which won nine of the last 10 CCS titles.
“I’m excited, ecstatic and ready to go. I’m looking forward to having a fantastic season, because let’s face it, we’ll have a target on our back as the defending champs. I’m ready to defend and
we have the horses to do it,” said Barragan prior to the season.
Not only was he excited, but also driven. The Haybalers ended the season 25-3, winning the Monterey Bay League’s Gabilan Division and the Central Coast Section Division I championship after coming
back from a 5-1 second-inning deficit.
Barragan also challenged this year's team against top out-of-section competition, capturing the NorCal Classic against elite Sac-Joaquin programs such as Merced and Elk Grove, and
Southern California power Simi Valley.
“Coming into the year, I didn’t want to change too much from the legacy of Coach Smith who mentored me,” Barragan told Prep2Prep. “We had some speed this year so we were a little
more aggressive on the bases.”
With senior Division I signee’s Callee Heen and Suzy Brookshire leading the charge, San Benito outscored its opponents 255-86 over the course of the season and added another
section title to their list of accomplishments.
For his ability to step in and replace a legendary coach, and not only keep going without missing a beat, but continue to raise expectations in the Baler program, Barragan is our Central Coast
Section Co-Coach of the Year.
Senior of the Year CALLEE HEEN, SAN BENITO
Led the Haybalers to the Central Coast Section Division I title by hitting .609 with 16 home runs and 22 extra base hits in all. She also scored 44 runs and drove in 48.
FIRST TEAM ALL-CCS
Holly Azevedo, Pioneer
Position: Pitcher
Year: Junior
Went 25-3 in the circle with a 0.18 earned run average, giving up just five earned runs all season. She struck out 334 batters and walked 16 in 191 innings. Hit .482 with 10 extra base hits
and 20 runs batted in.
SECOND TEAM ALL-CCS
HONORABLE MENTION:
ALISAL:
Anis Contreras
ALVAREZ:
Meliaa Belnas, Gianna Deleon, Angelina Ruiz, Aliyah Robles
APTOS:
Jennifer Segura, Martina Churchill, Kate Jeffery
ARAGON:
Soraya Frick
ARCHBISHOP MITTY:
Kaylin Stewart, Lauren Lopez
BRANHAM:
Maddie Ribeiro, Irene Wong, Emily Martin
BURLINGAME:
Hailey Crowell
CAPUCHINO:
Allie Stines, Rafaela Dade
CARLMONT:
Mailey McLemore, Ashley Trierweiler, Abygail Lan
CARMEL:
Danielle Caoili, Jessica Pavloff, Lauren Salvati
CASTILLEJA:
Tara Thakurta
CHRISTOPHER:
Pati Soria, Gabi Howard
DEL MAR:
Kaitlin Dunkle
EL CAMINO:
Ashley Deinia
EVERGREEN VALLEY:
Dasha Simon, Malia Pula
GILROY:
Makenna Weiler
GONZALES:
Natalie Basaldua
GUNN:
Megan Ostrom
HALF MOON BAY:
Ally Sarabia, Angela Brazil, Riley Donovan, Lily Moffitt
HARKER:
Kristin LeBlanc
HILLSDALE:
Bridget Nasir, Isabella Zalba, Mackenze Driscoll, Bailey McDonough
HOMESTEAD:
Brittany Prock
INDEPENDENCE:
Haile Landrum
JAMES LICK:
Corrina Gutierrez
JEFFERSON:
Sonara Faleafine
LEIGH:
Teri Danenberg, Taylor Klauser
LELAND:
Grace Ramey
LINCOLN:
Victoria Guzman, Kalea Kaui
LIVE OAK:
Kelli St. Clair, Kaylie Lowery, Maddie Gallagher
LOS ALTOS:
Lizzy Beutter
MARINA:
Jazzy Aten, Vivian Valencia
MENLO-ATHERTON:
Delilah Kline
MERCY BURLINGAME:
Kaylyn Sterling, Erin Dougherty
MILLS:
Gabriella Zucchiatti
MILPITAS:
Gwyneth Savella-Dye
MONTEREY:
Gina Bruno
MONTE VISTA CHRISTIAN:
Gianna Vanni
MT. PLEASANT:
Lily Resendez, Jessel Lewis, Megan Graeser
NORTH MONTEREY COUNTY:
Demelza Perez
NORTH SALINAS:
Micaela Leal, Serena Castaneda, Shayla Castaneda, Alyssa Allen
NOTRE DAME-BELMONT:
Olivia Geronimo, Sofia Magnani, Bianca Magnani. Dani Kazakoff
NOTRE DAME-SALINAS:
Lauren Pulara, Vanessa Gonzalez, Serena Castaneda, Shayla Castaneda, Spencer Hayasha
OAK GROVE:
Selena Gomez, Lauren Innerst, Daylene Misaalefua, Stefanie Madrigal, Jolina Lulualii
PAJARO VALLEY:
Madison Gil
PIEDMONT HILLS:
Shaye Felix, Jacklin Lucido, Freddie Carrillo, Miranda Cabanayan
PIONEER:
Brooke Niewoehner, Sydney Solis, Lauryn Garcia, Mackenzie Drake
PRESENTATION:
Carolyn Skotz, Kaia McCaul
PROSPECT:
Mattea Carveiro
SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL:
Kiana Meriales
SALINAS:
Josephine Villarreal, Harlee Noda, Angelina Ruiz
SAN BENITO:
Amanda Moisa, Chloe Cortez
SAN LORENZO VALLEY:
Alli Poore, Madeline Johnson
SAN MATEO:
Taylor Doi, Jodie Lewis
SANTA CATALINA:
Tatumn Satow, Marissa Bruno
SANTA CLARA:
Kathryn Caravalho
SANTA CRUZ:
Quinlynn Barry
SANTA TERESA:
Madison Greco, Cayla Williams
SARATOGA:
Eleni Spirakis
SCOTTS VALLEY:
Casson Rasmussen, Lauren Lahood, Nicole Marlow, Georgia Parsons
SEASIDE:
Kaitlyn Hernandez, Marielle Tuazon, Malia Usrev
SEQUOIA:
Olivia Stubblefield, Mackenzie Clarke, Cameron Cosentino, Allison Amaya, Emily McAdams
SILVER CREEK:
Samantha Fletes
SOBRATO:
Samantha Parish, Kayla Rooney
SOQUEL:
Melissa Provancha, Melanie DelCarlo, Alyssa Rezendes, Kacey Sugimoto
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO:
Karizma Bergesen, Naty Cerecedes, Karizma Bergesen
ST. FRANCIS:
Claudia Costello
ST. IGNATIUS:
Claire Gunther, Madison Augusto
STEVENSON:
Dominique Seva’aetasi, Jensen Main
TERRA NOVA:
Melina Coleman
THE KING'S ACADEMY:
Kris McIntyre, Malaya Street, Kenzie Yamakoshi
VALLEY CHRISTIAN:
Kayla Dominguez, Lauren Hendrickson, Taylor Beldi
WATSONVILLE:
Juliana Wilson, Dominique Anderson, Sammi Sakai, Zaira Pena, Jessica Rodriguez
WILCOX:
Ashley Yount
WILLOW GLEN:
Avery Revera
WOODSIDE:
Kaitlyn Grech
YERBA BUENA:
Cynthia Calderon, Selena Maldonado
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